Motsamai Keyecwe Mpho (February 3, 1921 – November 28, 2012) was a Motswana activist and politician. He founded Botswana's first political party in 1960, the

Botswana People's Party The Botswana People's Party (BPP), originally the Bechuanaland People's Party, is a political party in Botswana formed in December 1960 during the colonial era. As a result of disappointment with the Legislative Council, under the leadership of ...

, then known as the Bechualand People's Party, alongside Klaas Motshidisi, Kgalemang Motsete, and Philip Matante. However, due to conflict within the party, Mpho left and founded the

Botswana Independence Party The Botswana Independence Party (BIP) was a political party in Botswana that existed from 1962 to 1994. The BIP was founded in 1962 by former members of the Botswana People's Party (BPP) and was led by Motsamai Mpho. During its existence, the ...

in 1964. He also served as a member of the

National Assembly In politics, a national assembly is either a unicameral legislature, the lower house of a bicameral legislature, or both houses of a bicameral legislature together. In the English language it generally means "an assembly composed of the repre ...

. Some historians believe that Mpho was the first to introduce the term 'Botswana' into formal political vocabulary, replacing the colonialist name of Bechuanaland. He married his wife, Onalepelo Hannah Macheng, on 7 July 1960, whilst incarcerated in Pretoria Prison for treason in

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...

. Mpho was among the first to sing the Botswana national anthem after returning to Botswana following a pan-Africa conference in

Ghana Ghana (; tw, Gaana, ee, Gana), officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It abuts the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, sharing borders with Ivory Coast in the west, Burkina Faso in the north, and To ...

in 1972. Mpho died at Princes Marina Hospital in

Botswana Botswana (, ), officially the Republic of Botswana ( tn, Lefatshe la Botswana, label=Setswana, ), is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. Botswana is topographically flat, with approximately 70 percent of its territory being the Kalahar ...

on November 28, 2012.

Awards

* Presidential Award for Meritorious Service (Government of Botswana) *

Order of the Companions of O. R. Tambo The Order of the Companions of O. R. Tambo is a South African honour. It was instituted on 6 December 2002, and is granted by the President of South Africa to foreign citizens who have promoted South African interests and aspirations through c ...

(Government of South Africa, 26 April 2005)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mpho, Motsamai 1921 births 2012 deaths Members of the National Assembly (Botswana)